Lithium therapy and thyroid function: a long-term study.
Seventy-three patients who had been continuously receiving lithium carbonate for 6 months or more had their thyroid function evaluated clinically and biochemically. Goitre was found in 37%, exophthalmos in 23%, positive thyroid auto-antibodies in 24% and abnormal TRH tests in 49%. It would appear that thyroid failure due to lithium is usually dependent on antibody mediated damage. It is unlikely that lithium has a direct effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D005094:Exophthalmos / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000139:chemically induced; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000276:immunology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood
D001323:Autoantibodies; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D008094:Lithium